Under Armour appoints a fresh chief product officer and leader for Americas region.
Rewritten Article:
Under Armour Bets on New Blood with New Chief Product Officer and Americas Leader
Stephanie Linnartz, Under Armour's CEO, is pushing the refresh button as the athletic apparel brand welcomes a new chief product officer and president of the Americas region. Yassine Saidi, previously with Adidas and Puma, joins the team on January 29th, taking over from the departing Lisa Collier. Kara Trent, a long-time Under Armour veteran, steps up to lead the Americas, filling out David Baxter's shoes come mid-February. Both Saidi and Trent report directly to Linnartz.
Under Armour's top leadership has seen a striking overhaul since Linnartz took the helm last February. Key departures include COO Colin Browne, who served as interim CEO during Patrik Frisk's hiatus. The Americas executive role has proven challenging for Under Armour, with previous occupants spending little more than a year in the position.
Trent, an eight-year Under Armour veteran, boasts a track record of double-digit revenue growth while heading the EMEA region. She's credited with nurturing a performance-based culture, emphasizing accountability, consistency, and execution. Trent is also praised for her success in enhancing the brand's overseas presence through strategic product segmentation and marketing initiatives.
In Q3, Under Armour experienced a 2% decline in North American revenue, a region that accounts for an overcast 63% of the brand's total revenue. For Under Armour's fiscal year 2023, revenue in North America dipped by 0.6% compared to the previous year.
With Saidi on board, Under Armour continues to fine-tune its product strategy. The focus has shifted towards athleisure offerings, setting aside the purely performance-based approach of the past. In recent months, Under Armour brought on John Varvatos as chief design officer and added new designers to bolster the footwear, women's, and sportstyle categories.
Saidi arrives from Agency Y, a design and tech consultancy he co-founded in 2018. Linnartz gave Saidi a warm welcome on LinkedIn, expressing her confidence in his abilities to boost Under Armour's business beyond the field. Saidi, in turn, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to grow with Under Armour.
In a statement, Linnartz emphasized the addition of Saidi and Trent, claiming their outstanding leadership and industry experience would fortify Under Armour's goal of becoming a leading athleisure brand. She confidently asserted their contributions would help steer the company towards greater success through groundbreaking innovation and design.
- Stephanie Linnartz, CEO of Under Armour, is spearheading a significant change, introducing a new Chief Product Officer and the president of the Americas region, Yassine Saidi and Kara Trent respectively.
- Under Armour's leadership has undergone a remarkable transformation since Linnartz took charge, with key figures like Colin Browne moving on.
- The Americas executive position has been a challenge for Under Armour, with previous incumbents holding the post for less than a year.
- Kara Trent, an eight-year Under Armour veteran, has shown an impressive track record, driving double-digit revenue growth and fostering a performance-based culture.
- In Q3, Under Armour faced a 2% dip in North American revenue, a region contributing over 63% to the brand's total revenue.
- For Under Armour's fiscal year 2023, revenue in North America decreased by 0.6% compared to the previous year.
- With Saidi joining the team, Under Armour is refining its product strategy, focusing more on athleisure offerings and shifting away from a purely performance-based approach.
- Saidi, coming from Agency Y, a design and tech consultancy he co-founded in 2018, is expected to bring groundbreaking innovation and design to Under Armour, helping steer the company towards greater success in 2022 and beyond.
